Who knew? This label seems like such a huge, mass-production winery. It’s not. Then again, it’s not a tiny boutique, either. I have to admit, I did not expect a pinot noir from this label to be this good. It is medium-bodied, so it’s not “see-through” in your glass. Yet, it won’t overpower whatever you’re eating. It has that very “pinot” combination of roses, cola, cherry and mushroom, with a bit of spice. It’s on the juicier side of things, rather than earthy and dry. And it has zero — zero — pinot noir “stinkyness,” which many people love, but I am not so crazy about.

This is a great middle-of-the-road, non-controversial pinot noir. If somebody tells you to bring pinot to a dinner party, bring Kenwood Russian River. Sure, there are some that are a little better at $15, like the Mark West Santa Lucia Highlands — but that is a limited production wine. Considering availability, I am not sure that anything at this price beats Kenwood. And if you can find it for $13 as I did, it’s a no-brainer.

Kenwood is always a good value. For information on it as well as the other 90-some wineries of the Sonoma Valley see http://SonomaValleyWineries.org/ . Also, check out the “One Perfect Day in Sonoma Valley” accounts of activities, restaurants, etc. not to miss when you’re here.